Howl & Sophie (Howl's Moving Castle)

6

From then on, Sophie was far more alert. She'd analyse every bit of information she received about her surroundings, and her unusual situation.
Yet ultimately, all she managed to piece together was what she had already known at the start. That the war had just recently ended, and her village was partially destroyed. She was a plain, simple girl named Sophie Hatter - and, while on a journey years ago, had met a strangely enthusiastic man who happened to be a prince. However, she had forgotten everything about the 'journey' that he had been talking about endlessly, detailing of the wondrous sights he had apparently seen.
As if it were merely a fairytale, Sophie thought nothing more of it. However, the one thing he'd talk about the most was how he had been saved by his true love, though he refused to mention their name.

Prince Justin keenly assumed that Sophie had been in some sort of accident involving the recent chaos in her village - since it had been mere weeks since the war ended. Oddly, there were no bruises or visible damage on her body.
Over time she grew to trust him, and he began to let her venture out into town on her own after another dreadful month. She assured him that she'd stay safe, but he seemed unconvinced.
Understandably so, but patronising nevertheless.

It was early in the morning when Sophie was crossing the street in her floral attire and straw hat, gazing up into the cloudless sky. Even though it was clearly a pale blue hue, the colour had no significant meaning to her.
The whole town was grey, she had eventually realised, and was almost blending to an indistinguishable blur.
A sudden flash of erratic movement interrupted her daze. When she turned to her right to look at the creature, a small bearded figure scurried across the road, bumping into her before disappearing into an alleyway she hadn't noticed before.

"Sorry, Miss!" A child's panic-stricken voice cried out from the alley.

Curiousity filling her mind and drowning out all traces of worry, she hastily dropped the basket in her hands and ran after the figure. It was stupid, but the small figure was so intriguing and she couldn't help but follow it.
The alleyway was unusually dark, despite it being roofless to a bright summers day. She continued to run until her chest began to sting, frowning when she realised that the alleyway kept going no matter how long she could run for.
Looking up slowly as she tried to catch her breath, Sophie quickly closed her eyes. She was starting to feel incredibly dizzy.
When she opened her eyes again, she gasped when she saw what was above her head. The small, bearded figure was running not backwards or forwards - but upwards - into a pathway that bended gravity itself.
It hurt her head to try connect the pathways, but all she knew was that somehow she needed to get on the upward path.

"Sorcery!" She cried, her voice trembling in sheer fascination at the miracle folding before her eyes.

Without hesitation Sophie threw her body against the twisted pathway, her arms flailing to protect her head.
Her feet didn't hit the floor like it should have after her jump. Instead she continued to fall, and it took one look above her to realise that she wasn't falling down.
She was falling upwards.

***

Do I regret what I did?
Not at all.
Then, do I wish I had left her in the hands of someone else?
...
This empty, lost feeling must be nothing in comparison to her memory loss.
But, like I previously stated, I have no regrets. It was necessary to do such a thing. Perhaps we would have both died if I did otherwise. She looks happier now, at least, than when she was with me.
Somehow, my little mistakes are bringing Sophie Hatter back to me.

Due to my boundless and selfish nature, looking at her from afar is all I can do.